Tuesday 24 August 2010

ROCK IT RECORDS 598

GENE TERRY and his Kool Kats
Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11 Jan 57)
45-598-A - The Woman I Love
(Kid Murdock / Lila Hargiss)   (Starrite BMI)
45-598-B - Tip, Tap And Tell me
(Kid Murdock / Lila Hargiss)   (Starrite BMI)
ROCK IT RECORDS 598

Port Arthur, TX

Gene Terry was born Terry Gene DeRouen in Lafayette, LA on January 7th 1940, but raised in Port Arthur, TX, where his main musical influence growing up was his father and grandfather performing Cajun songs. He also attended house and barn dances with his uncle, R. C. DeRouen, a Cajun musician. His uncle taught him how to play guitar and eventually Gene accompanied him on stage. Gene formed his first band, the Kool Kats, in the mid-'50s, doing mainly country and western songs but they gravitated toward rock and roll, eventually changing their name to The Downbeats. Gradually rhythm and blues began to enter the band's repertoire as Gene became influenced by Little Richard, Elvis Presley and local KTRM deejay J. P. "the Big Bopper" Richardson. Word spread to Lake Charles, LA gaining the attention of local club owners and a five year contract with Goldband Records. Gene Terry and the Down Beats recorded several singles for Goldband including classic "Cindy Lou."


Top side is a fast rocker with a nice long guitar solo (although he seems to have not been expecting the first part of the solo because he's a little under-recorded). Flip is more mid paced with a nod towards "Heartbreak Hotel". Awesome! (MC)

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Neil Scott






Neil Scott
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PEACH RECORDS 597

LEON HOLMES and his Georgia Ramblers
LEON HOLMES and JOHNNY GARRISON and the Georgia Ramblers
Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11th Jan 57)
45-597-A - She's My Baby
(Leon Holmes)   (Starrite BMI)
45-597-B - You're Not Mine At All
(Leon Holmes)   (Starrite BMI)
PEACH RECORDS 597

Box 111, Jefferson, GA


Possibly one of my favourite discs in this series. Great stop-start vocals through the verses with a nice hint of rock-a-billy mumbling through the choruses! But it's the guitar breaks that have always grabbed my attention (for obvious reasons I guess). Slightly understated with a smattering of Carl Perkins with a lovely cascade of notes at the end. It sounds to me that right at the end of the song, the guitarist must hit his pick-up switch by accident as the tone changes slightly. I could probably listen to this all day and not get bored. In fact, sometimes I think I do!
Both sides were recorded at WIMO (Winder, GA) as a trio with another of Johnny Garrison's brothers. It was supervised by Slim Williamson (who owned Peach and Chart records amongst others). According to Slim, he paid Don Pierce $150 to press the record with the promise that if it was a success it would be released again on Starday. So Slim got his pressings and started mailing the out to DJ's.
Leon appears later in this series on Starday Records and also again on Peach Records. (MC)

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Steve Holloway






Steve Holloway

Tuesday 10 August 2010

STARDAY RECORDS 596

TRUITT FORSE
Nov 56
45-596-A - Chicken Bop
(Forse)   (Starrite BMI)
45-596-B - Doggone Dame
(Forse)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 596

A monster, 2-sided rockabilly killer from Truitt, (Donald Truitt Forse), a cousin of Beamon Forse (See Rodney 514). A side is a fast guitar-led rocker with some nice rinky-dink piano. Truitt belts out both sides with gusto (as Billboard might have said) and the biting guitar solos remind me of Hal Harris on high-octane caffeine. Flip is slower, bluesier but not in the least inferior to the topside. Truitt  had some '60s / '70s country singles out under the name Don Force. (MC / Andrew Brown)

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Terry Gordon




Terry Gordon

BIG STATE RECORDS 595

JIMMY SIMPSON and his Oilfield Boys
Nov 56  (BMI clearance on 11 Jan 57)
45-595-A - Can I Come Home
(Jack Rhodes / Jimmy Simpson)   (Starrite BMI)
45-595-B - Memories Of You
(Jack Rhodes / Jimmy Simpson)   (Starrite BMI)
BIG STATE RECORDS 595
Box 1113, Greggton, TX

Jimmy D Simpson was born on 24th March 1928 in Sullivan Hollow, near Ashland City, TN. After stints in the Army (and Navy and the Paratroopers), he moved to Robert Lee, TX (near San Angelo) with his wife and made a living as a pipeliner. He became a DJ over KERC (Eastland, TX) and sang at the Big D Jamboree in Dallas. A career as an artist for Republic Records was cut short by the labels bankruptcy. He also recorded on Hidus Records (owned by Bill and Buddy Holman) based in a jewelry store in Springfield, TN.

Before he took off for Alaska as a contractor, he teamed up with Jack Rhodes for this release. The A side is bordering on rockabilly - nice vocals and a fine guitar dragging the band along at a fair clip. There's a steel guitar adding some nice fills in the background and it shares the solos with the guitar. Flip side is a ballad. These were recorded at a West Monroe, Louisiana radio station. Same session that produced Simpson's Jiffy single.


Jimmy also recorded on Starday and Nashville Records later on, amongst others. (MC / Al Turner / Andrew Brown)
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Phillip J Tricker






Phillip J Tricker

Friday 6 August 2010

STARDAY RECORDS 594

DOROTHY BLAKLEY
Oct 56  (BMI Clearance on 4th January 1957)
45-594-A -  PIano Bells  (ST-2658)
(Blakley)   (Starrite BMI)
45-594-B - Yodelin' Ivory Waltz  (ST-2659)
(Blakley)   (Starrite BMI)
STARDAY RECORDS 594


More ivory tickling from Dorothy. This disc was even assigned Starday Matrix numbers. ST-2658 was reissued on Starday EP 295 as "Raggin' The Piano", while ST-2659 was retitled "Tickle The Ivories".

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Phillip J Tricker




Phillip J Tricker

Wednesday 4 August 2010

LUCKY RECORDS 593

NORTHWESTERN TROUBADORS
Oct 56  (BMI Clearance on 11th January 1957)
45-593-A - Hey Mr Copper
(Irene Willis)   (Starrite BMI)
45-593-B - Jolly Old Fellow
(No info)   (Starrite BMI)
LUCKY RECORDS 593
Arcata, CA


The only info I could find was in one of my old note books, dated 1994. The info reads "Apparently this is a pretty good disc". Now I've heard it, I wasn't too far off. Nice male/female hillbilly disc. It was listed on a set sale list from the US. (MC/Mark Lee Allen)


BIG STATE RECORDS 592

RONALD R A FAULK
Oct 56  (BMI Clearance on 11th January 1957)
45-592-A - You'll Never Know
(R A Faulk)   (Starrite BMI)
45-592-B - My Baby's Gone
(R A Faulk)   (Starrite BMI)
BIG STATE RECORDS 592

468 Third St, Port Acres, TX


The A side is a nice typical Texas honky-tonk / hillbilly song. Flip side is a thunderous rocker with heavy double bass and biting guitar. One of the best examples of the Starday rockabilly sound. The ending of the song is one of the most chaotic pieces of music every pressed into shellac as the musicians don't seem to know where to end. So they all seem to try to end at once with little success. (Sadly, nobody seems to have signalled to the bass player they're stopping!). This makes the side even better for it in my opinion.
Both Roland and his brother (Autry) were veterans of the Port Arthur, TX scene. (Port Acres is slightly west of Port Arthur). Kirby London recorded one of Roland's songs on D 1174.cRoland also recorded "Send Me Someone" / "I'd Own The World" on DIAMOND RECORDS 1003/4 as by Roland and his Rythm Boys (sic)


Birth: Jun. 19, 1927
Port Arthur
Jefferson County
Texas, USA
Death: Feb. 1, 2013
Port Arthur
Jefferson County
Texas, USA

R.A. Faulk, 85, of Port Acres passed away on Friday, February 1, 2013 at Mid-Jefferson Hospital. R.A. was born on June 19, 1927 in Port Arthur, TX to Zoie and Rose Theriot Faulk. He was a musician and worked at Gulf Oil. R.A. was a member of Faith Harbor Assembly of God Church in Port Acres. He proudly served his country in the United States Army. He loved his family very much and was known as Poppa.
R.A. was preceded in death by his parents; 4 brothers, Curtis, Autrey, Melvin and Herman Ray; 4 sisters, Gloria, Jeanette, Geraldine and Beverly; 2 sons-in-law, Dennis Earl Miguez and Marcio Illa.
R.A. is survived by his wife of 56 years, Myrna "Julie" Faulk of Port Acres; sons, Clint Faulk (Sherrie) of Port Arthur, Tony Faulk (Kelly) of Port Arthur; daughters, Brynda Amburn (Steve) of Groves, Kelly Toutcheque (Sid) of Lake Jackson, TX; brother, Larry Faulk of Port Arthur; sister, Shirley Anzaldua of Yoakum, TX; 19 grandchildren and 18 great grandchildren. 
This disc was pressed on both 45 and 78rpm formats.  (MC)
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Al Turner
















Al Turner








Terry Gordon


MECCA RECORDS 591

GENE STERLING
Oct 56  (Billboard review on 15th Dec 56)
45-591-A - Living A Lie
(Gene Sterling / Bud Sloan)   (Mecca Enterprises BMI)
45-591-B - I Won't Be Back No More
(Gene Sterling / Bud Sloan)   (Mecca Enterprises BMI)
MECCA RECORDS 591
920 Third Ave, Seattle, WA


Born in Arkansas, Gene was a truck driver by day and a singer and DJ by night. In 1953, he was DJ'ing over KRSC in Seattle, WA and appearing on Seattle's "Junior Ranch Show". He was signed to Vogue Records in 1953 and had at least one release (Vogue #1022 - "So Do I" / ???). Billboard thought it routine, but then they weren't always right. 
By 1956, Billboard finds him recording the disc above. Again, they are not glowing in their praise. This was either reissued or re-recorded on the Miracle Label (Seattle, WA) sometime in the 70’s As an aside, notice neither side is published by Starrite or one of it’s affiliates. Doesn’t happen often.

There was a variety of issues on MECCA Records from Seattle, WA, though I think this may have been the only record pressed by Starday. 

(MC / Neil Davies)

JAMBOREE RECORDS 590

JAMBOREE RECORDS 590
Buffalo, KY
Sept 56  (Billboard review on 27th Apr 57)
CURLEY SANDERS
45-590-A - Why Did You Leave Me
(J R Sprawls / C Sanders)   (Starrite BMI)
45-590-B - Brand New Rock And Roll
(C Sanders)   (Starrite BMI)


Label states "A Product Of Sprawls Enterprises". Label was owned by Joel Ray Sprawls.
Curley Ray Sanders was born in 1935 in St John, KY. he was a DJ on WCTO (Campbellsville, KY) in 1956, and on WBRT (Bardstown, KY) in 1958. WBRT is where he recorded with Joe Brown on San Records, possibly paid for by Curley. He was a regular on the Renfro Valley Barn Dance (KY) in 1958.
I may not know much about Curley but I found quite a few records by him. He  shows up on my radar in about 1949/50 on Star Talent from Dallas, TX (#749 - Last on your list / Penny for your thoughts). There was a Curley Sanders (assuming it's him) appearing on the Saturday Night Shindig over WFAA (Dallas) in the early 50's. Then I find two discs on Imperial (#8197 - Love 'em country style / My heart is yours alone - Mid 53), (#8226 - Too much lovin' / I'm reaching for Heaven - Dec 53/Jan 54).
By 1956, Curley's obviously incorporated some "Cat Music" in his repertoire and he's found here hollering for all he's worth (well, not quite hollering, but there's an urgency in his vocals). The A side I've yet to hear. Neil Scott picked one up and then sold it on (dumb arse), so I never managed to hear the A side. Flip is a stop/start rocker with cool lyrics and some fine accomp. by his band (who I presume are the Santones.) I think there's an under recorded mandolin or something playing through the solos but the guitar is drowning it out. Anyhow, it's a fabulous track. Almost awesome!
Curley springs up on the Concept label twice after the issue here and records another disc on Jamboree (which isn't pressed by Starday). (Concept #897 - Dynamite / You're smiling (I'm crying) 1957 - Elizabethtown, KY), (Concept #898 - Walking blues / This time - 57/8), (Jamboree 1833 - Heartsick and blue / I'll obey my heart - 57/58 - still located in Buffalo, KY and featuring the Kentucky Rangers). After that ......I'll have to wait until somebody else tells me :-)
(MC / Dan DeClark / Terry Gordon / Neil Scott)


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Barney Koumis
27 Apr 57 Billboard Rev.
Barney Koumis
Curley Sanders - Buffalo Bop CD 55178

Tuesday 3 August 2010

SAN RECORDS 589

SAN RECORDS 589
W.B.R.T, Bardstown, KY
Sept 56
JOE BROWN and the Black Mt. Boys with Curley Sanders and the Santones
45-589-A Midnight Rhythm
(Sanders / Shirley)   (Starrite BMI)
45-589-B Fishin' Fever
(Joe Brown)   (Starrite BMI)


Once again, nothing known about Joe Brown and his band. Curley Sanders will be covered next as he has his own release after this disc. Recorded at WBRT from Bardstown, KY so perhaps Joe was a DJ there.


"Midnight Rhythm" is a nice instrumental with fiddles and a nice guitar picker (Ody Martin??) doing a fine Chet Atkins impression. (Ody was name checked by Curley in a Billboard segment.) "Fishin' Fever" is the slightly better side with fine vocals and fine support from the Black Mt. Boys and the Santones.

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Al Turner
Al Turner

2 Aug 2020 - Email from Eric Mudd - 

Hi! My name is Eric Mudd, and I am from Cox's Creek, Kentucky, just a few miles to the north of Bardstown. Joe Brown was best friends with both of my parents' dads. I actually got to meet him twice around 1996, at my dad's brother's house, a year or two before he passed away. He was a real nice guy, giving me and my cousins peppermints he usually carried in his pocket.

The first time he came over, Joe decided to tell my dad and uncles about how he came about writing "Fishin' Fever". Joe went fishing one day (presumably summer 1956) at a holding pond on the property of the now-defunct T.W. Samuels Distillery, in Deatsville, Kentucky. He had just eaten his lunch, and while he was waiting for a fish to hit his line, he started humming a little melody, then some of the lyrics started coming about, and before he forgot them, he rushed to his truck, got a pen, and wrote the song on his lunch sack. Joe was a well-known fiddler in our area, and is the one playing fiddle on the recording of "Fishin' Fever". He is also one of the fiddlers on the A side of San 589, "Midnight Rhythm".

That is all I know about the record and the man, other than that he was a decades-long employee of Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky. You'd think that living in the Bardstown, Ky. area that I would be able to find an original 45, but I haven't found a single one in my 12 years of collecting (maybe some day). Joe gave my dad's family a copy, but someone accidentally sat on it and well, you know...
I hope I have been able to have shed some light on San 589 for you, and can use the info. for future reference